


My Favorite Kind of Love

by Matchstick99



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Some Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 04:07:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19418152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Matchstick99/pseuds/Matchstick99
Summary: "And how are we together again?""It's as simple as one, two, and three, Jun; I love you and you to me. Nothing will change that, all right?"Even if society says "no", love will always find a way to say "yes".





	My Favorite Kind of Love

~ **Renjun** ~

_Disgusting._

That is one word most of the students in our high school would often tell _Hyung_ and I. There is not one day that passes without someone insulting either one of us with that specific word.

_Fuck off._

Another statement I encounter on a daily during lunch period. Why lunch period, you ask? Mark- _hyung_ usually has classes during my study hall. When I'm trying to find myself a table to stay in, students would kick me out—sometimes, it'd be to the outside of the classroom. It hurts most of the time to be kicked out of one place, but I know I can always find comfort in his arms.

Despite these words, Mark- _hyung_ would tell me to ignore them. He would place his fingers under my chin and gently turn my head so my eyes can focus on his own. **"Jun, _baobei_ ,"** he says, knowing fully well that calling only my name won't render all my attention to him completely. _Hyung_ knows that calling me that endearment in Chinese would make me focus on him aside from my name.

Right now, we are hanging out by the school's courtyard. _Hyung_ puts the first-aid bag down as he crosses his legs once he sits in front of me on the ground. **"What happened?"** His words carry weight everyday as he asks me the same question again. As always, I shrug it off as if it was irrelevant. **"It's nothing."**

I watch him grab a cotton ball coated with antiseptic. Once the cotton touches the cut on my cheek, I back away and wince. My finger touches the wound lightly, barely even grazing it. It's probably a shallow wound, but, fuck, it hurts. **"C'mere, _baobei_. Unless you want to treat it yourself, then be my guest."** I meet eyes with Hyung just as his hand offers the cotton ball.

With a mild wipe of a fallen tear, I grab the cotton and begin dabbing the antiseptic onto the cut. Mark- _hyung_ eyes me sadly. **"It's because of me again, isn't it?"**

I stop treating the cut and look at the boy before me. **"No . . . It never is. I guess it was my fault for not being able to protect myself again."**

He sniffs and reaches a hand to cup my other, not-injured cheek. Mark- _hyung_ leans his forehead to mine. **"Say that it's because of me so that I can sleep without blaming myself even more than I should."** My other free hand removes his palm from my cheek and set it down. **"This is exactly why I couldn't tell you! You'd worry more about me,"** I say. The cotton ball that's been treating my cheek cut falls to the ground.

My palms cup _Hyung's_ cheeks while I press my lips to his forehead. **"I'm strong, _Hyung_. You don't have to worry about me,"** I smile to him. Tears fall from his eyes as his lips tremble. _Hyung_ kisses me—probably deeper than what I need. **"It will always be because of me, _baobei_. They're targeting you because of me. I don't want to see you hurt anymore."**

**"I'm sorry for hurting you, _baobei_."**

Mark- _hyung_ lays his head onto my shoulder and sobs on the blazer of my uniform. One arm circles around his waist while the other holds his head gently as it caresses his hair. **"You're such a softie, _Hyung_. And, none of this is your fault—”**

 **"No!"** He interrupts, **"If only I weren't popular nor well-known, none of this malicious shit would be happening to you."** My arms circle around him. As I rub his back (maybe a little too slow, so I quicken my pace), I rest my chin on his shoulder.

 **"Don't blame yourself, _Hyung_. I am okay. We will be okay, hm?"** Mark- _hyung_ nods on my shoulder. **"Some things are just inevitable, huh, Jun?"** _Hyung_ whispers.

My lips form a small grin, **"Yeah. We just have to make it a little worth-while, right?"**

 **Hyung** raises his head from my shoulder. **"Always remember that I love you,"** he whispers before kissing my ear. **"I love you too, _Hyung_ ,"** I say to him back. Suddenly, Mark- _hyung_ stands from his position, thus breaking our hug. I grab a Band-Aid and plaster it above the cut on my cheek while _Hyung_ pats away the dust from his pants. He offers me a hand. I grab his hand and pull myself up. **"Let's go home, _baobei_ ,"** he says, grinning.

His smile always calms me down and reassures me.

~ **Renjun** ~

We walk home, hand-in-hand. **"It's times like this that I find peace,"** I say, inhaling the gentle breeze of February spring.

**"Again, Jun, I—"**

I interrupt Mark- _hyung's_ apology with a slight squeeze of his hand and a shush. **"How many times do I have to tell you, _Hyung_ , that none of this is your fault? It is them that choose to hurt me so, not you nor your status."** Suddenly, he stops walking, rendering me motionless too. Hyung grips my shoulders and turns my body to face him. **"I just can't bear to watch you getting hurt all because of who I am."**

I sigh again, for the umpteenth time this day. Honestly, I don't know how many times I have to tell him that I am fine, even without his protection. What more do I have to do to prove to this boy that I can protect myself from harm's way? My fingers lace around his wrists as I pull his hands away from my shoulders. Afterwards, I cup his face with both hands, squishing his cheeks a bit. **" _Hyung_ , I love you. Like, I really, really, do. Please trust in me when I say I can protect myself."**

At that point, it almost sounds like I'm begging to him.

It is his turn to sigh. He removes my palms from his cheeks. I watch his eyes tear up once again as he leans forward to kiss my forehead. This is probably the second time it happened today, but Mark- _hyung_ rests his forehead on mine. **"If you need me, I'm only a shout away in school, okay?"**

I nod. He isn't wrong on that one.

 **"I know,"** I say. We stop our shenanigans in the street and begin walking home again. Oh, I have not mentioned it yet, but _Hyung_ and I live in one apartment together. My parents insisted that I live in a dormitory once I am to start high school. Little did they know that my roommate became the person I would rely on the most. Sooner or later, when _Hyung_ and I were able to save up a lot, we bought ourselves an apartment unit near our high school. Luckily, our parents approved of this—and our relationship, too.

As we near to our destination, here comes the occasional pestering and insults from the neighborhood boys. They would often throw empty soda cans—that they find littered on the streets—at us. This is also the moment where Mark- _hyung_ begins his daily dose of showering his loathing towards someone. It scares me a lot when he's pissed, especially at the people who hurt either me or us both.

After the unsettling moment, we enter the building. I take out my key and unlock the door. The familiar scent of our home looms to me and is inviting me in. I walk over to the couch, drop my bag on the floor, and plop my body on the soft cushions. Slightly I raise my head and see Mark- _hyung_ sit next to my body. The cushions dip with his weight. He runs his hand to my hair. **"Tired?"**

I, being too tired to respond, groan instead. He chuckles and pinches my cheek. **"To think that you made me shed tears twice in one day, Jun.”** He leans forward to grab the TV remote on the coffee table, **“Do you want me to open the TV?"** He asks. I rise from my position and sit upright, cross-legged and all. With my body facing ahead of his right side, my head drops to his shoulder. **"I'm fine like this . . . Maybe I need just a little rest."** Mark- _hyung_ laughs and puts the remote down next to him, turns his body a bit, and drapes an arm around my shoulder. He pulls me close. **"You can sleep if you want. I'm glad we don't have homework to do today."** He leans onto the couch's soft backrest, pulling me a little with him.

Next thing I know is that my eyes failed me and closed shut.

~ **Mark** ~

With my back resting by two stacked pillows from behind and legs crossed, I watch the show that is showing on TV. Two hours have passed since Jun slept. After I let him sleep on my shoulder, I carried him to our bedroom and placed him down onto the bed.

I check up on Jun's sleeping figure. As he sleeps calmly, I see his hand find its way towards me and finally has his fingers clutching onto the hem of my shirt. His face twists to anger and confusion. Maybe he's having a nightmare, I think to myself. To calm Jun down, I loosen his grip on my shirt and, instead, have him hold my hand instead. Though he may not hear it, I gently hush his cries.

 **"I'm here,"** I say.

Afterwards, he calms down completely and awakens from his slumber. He stares at our intertwined fingers and then to me. I laugh at his confused expression. **"Good morning, _baobei_. How was your dream?"**

My chest tightens a bit as he lets go of my hand. Jun rubs his face, a little roughly, with his palms. His speech is muffled a bit, but I understand every bit of it.

 **"Did I . . . say things out loud?"** He asks, his tone a little on the concerned side.

**"Well, you cried."**

He hugs his knees and buries his face into it. **"Oh, gosh. That must have been so humiliating, Hyung."**

I put a hand on his head and softly caress his hair. **"It's fine. There's nothing embarrassing about crying over it."**

 **"Okay,"** he says. Jun allows his head to fall onto my lap. **"What are you watching?"**

 **"A movie,"** I squint my eyes to get a clearer view of the title. **"Uhm, it's called _Don't Need Your Love_. I just happened to pass by it while flippin’ through channels. Thought it looked interesting."** Jun shuffles around. Soon after, I see him pull the blanket over his body. He relaxes onto my lap, turns to his side, and begins watching the movie. **"So, what did you do while I slept?"** He asks.

**"Well, after I carried you here, I changed my clothes and got in bed."**

Jun chuckles. **"Don't tell me that's it? I swear to God if you watched me sleep—"**

I laugh, **"No, I didn't. Actually, I read a book, got a bit bored, and opened the TV. And here we are."**

 **"You are unpredictable, my dude."** Jun chuckles in amusement at my response.

 **"You best know it, _baobei_. Anyways, if you want to change the channel,"** I grab the remote next to me and hand it over to Jun. His hand peeks out from underneath the blanket and grabs the remote from my hand. Jun presses a button and the channel changes. Still unsatisfied, Jun flips through channels in one go. **"Can't watch anything?"**

**"Want to _Netflix_?"**

**"And what can we watch in _Netflix_ , my dude?"**

**"I mean, well, are you up for some _Black Summer_?"** He turns his head toward me. I shrug and place a hand on his shoulder. **"If that's what you want, Jun, then go for it."**

 **"Hope you don't get queasy,"** Jun says before he switches from the normal channels onto _Netflix_. Regarding our _Netflix_ , I am, obviously, the one paying for all this while Jun freeloads off the product of my expenses. He selects his profile and plays _Black Summer_.

As we watch the very bloody show about a zombie apocalypse, Jun pauses it for a bit to finally sit upright next to me. He places the other side of the large blanket over my shoulders. After doing so, Jun hugs my arm and rests his head onto my shoulder. During some points of the show, Jun comments at how stupid some characters are acting and at how exaggerated the blood effects are.

In short, he finds the show amusing and shitty simultaneously.

 **"You know what,"** —Jun reaches towards the remote and turns _Black Summer_ off and switches to another show— **”I kind of hate that show. It's funny at some points but, my God, everyone's so idiotic."**

**"Isn't that how most zombie apocalypse shows work?"**

**"Yes, but this is just in a whole 'nother level.**

**"Now what can we watch, dude?"**

Jun's eyes sparkle a bit as I watch the selector desperately skim through the _Netflix_ Originals section. It finally stops on _Kingdom_. **"Another zombie apocalypse show?"**

Jun raises a finger to explain, **"Yes, but at least not everyone is stupid here. And, besides, Ju Jihoon's character, Prince Chang, is cool."**

I feign being offended at his compliment towards the main actor. In a sudden, as he stares at me in with a confused expression, I give him the sad-eyes and say, **"What about me?"**

His hold on my arm tightens as he hides his face onto my shoulder. Jun replies, **"C'mon, bro, you're my boyfriend. How do I not find you the coolest?"**

 **"Hm,"** I hum in response then kiss his hair, **"that is an acceptable reply."** Jun raises his head away from my shoulder and pushes my face away as I laugh at his cherry-red cheeks. **"Now—can we watch _Kingdom_?"** I ask.

 **"Ah, yes, of course,"** Jun says. With the remote, Jun lazily presses play and drops the remote onto his lap. We watch the opening sequence of _Kingdom_ play. Only now do I realize that this is the first episode that's playing. The episode carries on the first scene. I slightly jump at the sudden death of one of the footmen.

**"You don't get queasy but you jump at these kinds of things—how cute of you, _Hyung_."**

**"H-hey! Wasn't I supposed to be the fearless one between us?"**

**"Well, yes, but no."** He says playfully, as if to tease me.

At this point, my cheeks turn as red as his were earlier. _**"Baobei!"**_ I say to him, with pleading eyes.

 **"Okay, okay,"** Jun laughs at our exchange of words and my declaration of defeat in arguing, **"You are the cool, fearless one between us. What else should I add onto that list?"**

 **"I'm also the handsome one—”** Jun slaps my arm.

 **"You're annoying,"** he says, with a playful eye roll.

 **"You're lovely,"** I say and poke his cheek with my finger. I release my arm from his grip and place it above his shoulders. **"And how are we together again?"** Jun asks, trying to make himself a little more comfortable by snuggling to me

 **"It's as simple as one, two, and three, Jun; I love you and you to me. Nothing will change that, all right? Also—please pause that, hon—I forgot to ask you about something."** Jun complies and pauses the episode at a semi-awkward frame. He looks at me curiously, **"Ask me about what?"**

**"Prom."**

**"Prom—what?"**

**"I was thinking if I could take you to Prom with me. It's just that everyone is telling me to go since I'm with the Student Council and that I'm also part of the committee handling the event. So, will you go?"**

Jun pauses for a bit, bites his lip, and looks away. **"I don't like the way they look at me—or at us, if you will. I guess I can go . . ."** My gaze softens at him. I gently rub his arm. **"Hey, it's okay if you don't want to go, baobei, really. If you want, we can just hang-out here for the entire night."**

He turns to me, with that pleading look in his eyes that I know all too well.

**"You're part of it, so you must attend, Hyung. I'll be fine here."**

I pout as my other hand turns his face towards mine. I steal a kiss to his lips. **"Say, let's go out tomorrow."**

**"For what?"**

**"Since Prom is, like, next Saturday, I'm thinking of buying a suit."**

**"Don't you already have one, though? Like, I was with you and Jaehyun- _hyung_ at the time you bought it."**

**"I want to buy you a suit, _baobei_."**

**"M-me?!"**

**"Well, I want to, at least, feel like I'm taking you to Prom."**

**"Hyung . . . You don't need to do that."**

**"I can spend only for you, dude."**

Jun sighs and finally laughs as he kisses my cheek afterwards. **"I'll go—if you're willing to treat me to some hot pot after."** I raise my fist up on the air in triumph. **"Yay! My _baobei_ will go out with me!"** I cheer while I wrap my other arm around him, pulling him into a tight hug. Jun grabs the remote and lightly hits my right upper arm with it.

**"Now, shut up and watch this amazing show with me."**

**"Yes, sir!"** I say, saluting to him.

~ **Renjun** ~

The day of our outing has come. Mark- _hyung_ woke me up quite early which is why, at the ripe hour of ten-thirty in the morning, I'm already putting my shoes on as I wait for _Hyung_ to finish with his hair. Recently, Mark- _hyung_ had dyed his hair blonde and the school, weirdly, accepted it? Like, I don't know why they did, but it's probably because Mark- _hyung_ , at this point, is untouchable by both the student body and the school authorities. Being rich and having an powerful family has its perks; I know that feeling too well.

I hear a flurry of footsteps come from the bedroom. My eyes flit to Mark- _hyung's_ figure running up to me with open arms. As he finally gets close enough, he encircles his arms around me, pulling me into another one of his breath-taking embraces. **"I'm sorry I took long. My hair was being a total bitch."**

My hand pats his hair, **"Don't worry. You look handsome no matter what, anyway."**

He grabs my that's on top of his head and brings it down to his lips. I feel him kiss my fingertips. **"And so do you. Damn, what'd I do to deserve someone so ethereal like you, Jun?"** Without a warning, I press a kiss to his jaw, leaving him in surprise.

**"There should always be a warning, Jun!"**

**"Well, damn, you don't hear me complain about your kisses!"** _Hyung_ laughs and opens the door for us. I exit, meanwhile _Hyung_ locks the door and closes it completely. **"Do you have the keys?"** He asks. I nod. We move at once towards the elevator.

Inside, terrible elevator music plays. Mark- _hyung_ has his arm around my shoulder as he checks his phone with his other free hand. **"It's going to be sunny today, therefore we'll be okay."**

**"Will anyone else go with us?"**

**"Nope. I was about to ask Johnny-hyung, but I thought that I want to take advantage of this time and be with you."**

I look at Mark- _hyung_ , almost kind of sadly. He notices my eyes on him and looks to me with raised brows. _Hyung_ says nothing but pulls me into another hug. The elevator is surprisingly very empty, which leaves us two alone. **"School has been hectic along with the Prom Committee and I don't really see you except after the day and at home. I hope Prom does me a good favor and allows me to spend some time with you, _baobei_.”** _Hyung_ breaks the embrace and holds my shoulders. He leans down and kisses the tip of my nose. **“What I would give to always have you in arms like this.”**

 **“You’d give anything, wouldn’t you?”** My hand finds its way onto his cheek as I caress the soft skin there. _Hyung_ nods in agreement. I am right about that one thing. He sacrifices many things to get what he wants and I support him through all that. **“You would give anything too, won’t you, _baobei_?”**

As the elevator comes to a stop and opens its doors to our selected floor, Mark- _hyung_ releases me from his arms’ hold and we walk out into the condominium’s lobby. **“Let’s go?”** I see him turn to me with amusement on his face before I follow his lead and take his hand in mine.

~ **Renjun** ~

  
The mall is bustling with a massive amount of people looking through shops, eating in different fast-food chains, and playing at multiple arcade stops. Mark- _hyung_ is walking next to me with an arm around my shoulders for, like, the third time today. **“So . . . What shop will you take me to get the suit?”** I ask. _Hyung_ hums in response and turns to me. **“The same shop you and I went to with Jaehyun- _hyung_. I reckon you’ll like the stuff there.”** I scoff in amusement, **“You make it sound like that’s the only suit shop to ever exist in this mall.”**

 **“Nah, not really,”** _Hyung_ says, rubbing my shoulder a bit. **“I really like the brands that they have there. The service quality is not bad, and their prices are cool. Besides, I’ve got a limited budget to buy with.”** He laughs at the last bit, but I know for sure that his wealthy ass will never be tight with money unless his parents cut his credit cards off. On the escalator, I notice some people giving us strange looks. This is how it is to live in a country that is not fully accepting of the idea of same-sex marriage. The government makes me lose hope, to be honest. I brush away the judgmental stares and walk to the store Mark- _hyung_ has been talking about. We walk in, hearing the familiar clink of the bell tied by the door to indicate the entrance of a patron.

 **“Oh, fancy seeing you here again, Mark!”** The shop owner, whom Mark- _hyung_ and I have come to know as Mr. Moon, greets us with utmost enthusiasm. Mark- _hyung_ shakes hands with Mr. Moon just as the latter notices my presence inside the shop as well. **“And you brought your darling of a boyfriend here too! How have you been, Renjun?”**

I lightly rub my nape in embarrassment. With a sheepish and nervous smile on my face, I answer, **“I’m fine, thank you. How are you, sir?”**

**“As fine as the Moon on a cool evening! Now, what business do you two lovebirds have for my store?”**

Mark- _hyung_ returns to stand at my side. I notice his lack of being slick by seeing his palm graze the skin on top of my hand. In the end, I give in and take his hand in mine. **“You see, Taeil- _hyung_ , Prom is coming right around the corner and my dude here is in need of a suit.”**

Mr. Moon’s lips form a thin line as he listens in on Mark- _hyung’s_ ramblings of why he wasn’t able to buy me a suit during his previous visit to the store with Jaehyun- _hyung_. **“I understand. Well then, Renjun, why don’t we pick out your suit right now? We can leave your boy by the lounge.”** My eyes brighten and widen at Mr. Moon as I follow him towards the secret entrance towards the actual store. Inside the true store is a massive variety of high-quality, well-tailored suits that are designed to satisfy any patron’s taste in fashion. I know I am not going to go with _Hyung_ to Prom but . . . I must do this for him to make him the least bit happy. Mr. Moon, for the past few minutes, has been picking out different suits, handing them to me as he picks and picks until my hands feel like they are about to fall off any second from now. Mr. Moon leads me to a vacant changing room that is large enough to hold all the suits I carried with me. You know what this certain situation reminds me of? The _Say Yes to the Dress_ show on _TLC_. I grow awkward at the thought of me coming here to buy a suit for my wedding. It is a strange ability of mine to suddenly put myself in an awkward situation such as this. It takes me at least twenty minutes to fit in all the suits Mr. Moon picked out earlier. And Mark- _hyung_ is still by the lounge, waiting for me to show him what suit I will pick. Out of the six suits Mr. Moon picked, I choose the least expensive designer brand from among the lot which is a simple, all-black, three-piece _Giorgio Armani_ suit. Looking at myself in the mirror, I think that the baby blue sneakers from _Vans_ makes this outfit less desirable on me than it should have been.

_“Renjun! Have you picked something now?”_

Mr. Moon’s voice reverberates to the changing from outside. Almost do I feel apologetic for making him waste so much time picking out so many good suits for me yet I only choose the simple one. Just breathe in, and breathe out, Jun. You can do this. I twist the doorknob and pull the door open. As Mr. Moon sees me, his face contorts into that of amusement and surprise. **“Mark would be delighted to see you in this suit!”**

I chuckle sheepishly. **“I just had to go for the cheapest one, though.”**

 **“Of course. In order to complete this look . . . “** Mr. Moon reaches out and fixes my hair, gently combing my slightly-unkempt bangs to the side. **“There. It’s perfect now.”**

I bow to the man in thanks to his service. Mr. Moon chuckles, flustered at my formal gesture of gratitude. **“Oh, you didn’t really need to do that, Renjun! I enjoy helping one of my most valued customers, you know.”** The elder smiles to me before pushing my body towards the entrance to the lounge which is an open room next to the changing rooms. Slowly and discreetly, I peek inside the room. A wave of relief washes over me as I see that certain person’s crown of blonde hair. Mark- _hyung_ tips another swig of white wine to his lips and sips the sparkling liquid, squirming a bit as the fizz burns his throat a bit. My hands grip the doorframe hesitantly while I bite my lip as I think of how to enter the room. Not caring much anymore, I enter the place and call out to him. **“Mark- _hyung_? I finished changing already . . .”**

He stops and puts the wine glass down onto the clear glass table. His legs lift him up into a standing position as he looks towards the entrance of the lounge. I put my hands to my back sheepishly. Before I go, I look to Mr. Moon who offers me only a thumbs-up and a nod of encouragement. I push back all my feelings of nervousness and walk to the lounge. As I walk in, I hear Mark- _hyung_ gasp softly. I lift my head and look at him. He has one hand covering his most-likely-gaping mouth. I walk over to him and move his hands away from his face. And as I hold his—slightly-shaking—left hand, Mark- _hyung_ takes this moment to gently cup my jaw with his right hand and pepper my face with his ever-so-soft kisses. He places one on my forehead, nose, both cheeks, and finally to my lips (in this case, the last one took longer to break away from). He releases me from our grip upon each other, backs away for a bit, and observes me.

**“ _Baobei_ , I don’t know what to say, I—”**

**“Be honest with me and tell me what you think, _Hyung_.”**

He hears the tiny bit of desperation and want in my voice. _Hyung_ smiles at me warmly. **“You look so handsome and absolutely stunning, my love.”** At his words, my chest squeezes in delight just as my cheeks bloom into a deep shade of red. _Hyung_ chuckles at my flustered state and pulls me into an embrace (for, like, the second or third time today . . . I think). **“You’ll always look so beautiful in my eyes, Jun. So beautiful.”**

I relax in his arms and give into the warmth of his being. My arms wound around his waist while I rest my head on the crook of his neck. **“I bet you look just as good in the suit you bought last Sunday.”**

**“Hey! You know how I look in that suit, and you best believe that I look cool in that two-piece! C’mon, _baobei_ , say it.”**

**“You just really want to hear me say it, no?”**

**“Y-yeah . . . ?”** Hah, he hesitated.

**“Well, you’ll always look cool and amazing in any outfit you wear. But no one beats Ju Jihoon.”**

**“ _Baobei_! Don’t ruin it!”** He lightly stomps his feet onto the carpeted floor playfully, my body shaking along with his. **“Are you seriously envious of Ju Jihoon? I can’t believe this,”** I scoff at him as an act of jest, **“Mark Lee, son of the esteemed billionaire resort tycoon, and one of the most eligible young bachelors in the country, is envious of an actor just because his boyfriend complimented on his looks? I’m surprised many girls still want you.”**

 **“Don’t say that, _baobei_. You make it seem like I’m single,”** he says, kind of in a way where he’s trying to prove a point. **“But, news flash: you aren’t single anymore,”** I say, with a playful smirk.

Mark- _hyung_ grins and pinches my cheek before placing another kiss to my forehead. **“Okay, so, what brand is that suit you picked?”**

 **“Uhm . . . _Armani_?”** I say hesitantly. I fear he would not like the brand because it’s a little cheap. **“What’s with the question mark at the end? I don’t mind it being _Armani_ ,”** he laughs and observes the price tag hanging from the hem of the coat. **“Now, that is cheap. Do you like this suit, Jun?”** I nod at _Hyung_ with the brightest smile I can muster. Mark- _hyung_ calls for Mr. Moon, telling him that we will take the suit I picked. Before I retreat to the changing room once again, Mark- _hyung_ pats my shoulder. The only thing I hate about trying something on in a store is that I have to take the time to change back to my regular clothes. As I hand the suit I have finally changed out of Mr. Moon to wrap up, I head over to Mark- _hyung_ who is busy looking through his phone. His head perks up once I call his name.

 **“This is what happens when I made the mistake of leaving my suits back in Beijing, huh.”** I mutter. First off, I did not think I would need any of my twenty-three, three-piece and two-piece suits here in South Korea. And, I did not think I would ever pick the cheapest _Armani_ suit here. But, oh, well, here we are. Once Mr. Moon hands me the paper bag with the suit inside, we leave for the initial entrance of the store where the cash register’s desk stands. I sit on one of the chairs near the glass door. Mark- _hyung_ , being the shitty jester he is, asks for two of my credit cards, making sure Mr. Moon doesn’t see what he is up to. I softly grin at him as he shuffles my two credit cards with one from his ownership. I realize that he’s doing the pick-Mark’s-credit-card game. I have come across this shitty game of his whenever we would go to the mall with friends and he would be the one told to pay the bills. Luckily, for him, those two credit cards of mine are filled to the millions as well.

 **“Okay, uhm, what the heck are you doing?”** Mr. Moon asks as Mark- _hyung_ beholds the three upside-down credit cards in his hand. **“Well, Taeil-hyung, one’s mine and two are my dear boyfriend’s. All you have to do is pick mine. Once you do pick it, you can scan that card.”** Mark- _hyung_ turns his head to me and winks. I know what he means: _“Thank goodness our credit cards don’t have signatures.”_ Maybe we have become too lazy to sketch our signatures on the cards. **“Ah, I see,”** Mr. Moon puts a hand to his chin, contemplating on which one is Mark- _hyung’s_. The only way Mark- _hyung_ makes this entire ordeal fun for his own sake is that he has seven different credit cards to choose from for this game. Either way, he has no problem considering how those cards contains thousands and millions of money inside. At last, Mr. Moon finally picks a card and lifts it up. I look over and see that it is one of my cards. **“I guess you’re paying today, _baobei_!”** Mark- _hyung_ chuckles softly at me while I playfully roll my eyes at him.

 **“By the way, Taeil- _hyung_ , it seems you’re quite short on staff today. Why is that?”** As Mr. Moon scans the card, he answers, **“Taeyong is absent for today while Doyoung and Jungwoo’s shifts occur later in the afternoon.”**

 **“How are they? Have they been doing well?”** I pay little to no attention towards their conversation. Pulling my phone out, I open it and see that Chenle has sent me a message.

 _From: Zhong Chenle_  
_“Hey, Ge! I’m thinking of coming over there to Korea to hang with you. Btw, can you ask Jisung to send me his apartment’s address? He forgot to tell me ;-; but anyways, thanks in advance lmao.”_

I comply with Chenle’s message and text his boyfriend, Jisung, on the situation. Jisung got a little frantic and immediately ends our conversation in order to text Chenle back. After closing my phone, I look up and see the familiar color of Mark- _hyung’s_ green, long-sleeved shirt. He squats down to my eye level. **“Jun, let’s go home? Or do you want to grab some food first?”**

 **“But you promised me some hot pot, _Hyung_.”** I say with a pout. He sighs with a grin and ruffles my hair. **“All right.”** I press a finger to his chest, **“And don’t even bother with the credit card trick; I want you to pay this time.”** We bid good-bye to Mr. Moon and exit the store before we bicker again as we make our way to one of the Chinese restaurants in the mall.

~ **Mark** ~

After our excursion in the mall, Jun and I return to our place. Throughout the mall, I felt Jun cower a little at the looks the passers-by were giving us. But now, since we are at home, Jun isn’t afraid. As always, in the end, Jun feels the safest at home and in my arms. While I switch the channels on our TV, Jun has his legs around my waist with his head laying onto my shoulder—he’s like a baby in this position. **“Was the hot pot delicious, _baobei_?”** I hear him groan in response. I decide to stop on a random channel—which, sadly, is the _History_ channel and it’s currently playing the _Ancient Aliens_ show—and put the remote down. My arms circle his waist and I feel his body relax further in my hold. **“And if you’re going to ask about the suit, I’ll have it dry-cleaned next Wednesday. I just want to stay like this for now.”**

His even breathing rings through my ears, indicating that he is either asleep or not. **“Jun? Are you sleeping?"** I ask. Jun replies with a ‘no’ and raises his head from my shoulder. Those brown, almond-shaped eyes stare down at me. Jun’s brows furrow as his gaze deepens. The hands on my shoulders tightens their grip and eventually let go. He cups my cheeks and leans in for a kiss. As my eyes close to savor the taste of him, I forget everything that is happening in our surroundings. I feel the soft caress of his thumbs across the skin of my cheekbones. Meanwhile, in my head, all I can envision is Jun’s face and the sapphire ring I bought while Jun took his sweet time looking through the suits in Taeil- _hyung’s_. It was hard trying to hide the velvet box in my pockets—only for me to remember that my slacks have some good pockets to hide bulky shit. Back at the jewelry shop, I insisted to not placing the ring box inside a bag because this would be suspicious to Jun’s eyes. Suddenly, I open my eyes and realize that Jun’s lips have left mine. **“Why’d it have to end so quickly?”** I whine and Jun pinches my nose.

**“Such a whiny baby, that you are. By the way, you look like you have a lot on your mind. Is there anything going on?”**

I shake my head. His hand pushes my head to the crook of his neck. **“It’s nothing. There is nothing to worry about.”** Honestly, I think even Jun knows I’m bad at being discreet. **“Sure, _Hyung_ , sure.”**

 **“Although, there is one thing.”** I say.

**“What is it?”**

**“I’ve been thinking about not attending Prom.”**

**“Huh?! But why?”** Even if he is in shock, my lips press to the delicate skin of his neck. Every once in a while, I stop pressing kisses and I finally answer, **“I don’t want to be separated from you, even if it’s only for a school event. Besides, this doesn’t affect our grades.”** I continue on from where I stop. On the back of my head, I feel his hand there, running it through my hair. **“Which is why staying home is better, isn’t it?”**

**“M-hm!”**

**“Of course,”** Jun laughs. And as our little session begins, the only thing in my mind is the event I’m planning next Saturday during Prom Night. In the heat of the moment, Jun stops and leaves my lap to head for the kitchen. I watch him open the refrigerator to grab some . . . Milk? **“Someone got thirsty,”** I say to him. He chuckles, leaning against the kitchen island while gulping down the milk in the small carton. As he finishes, Jun wipes his mouth the back of his hand before throwing the carton, mercilessly, into the trash bin underneath the kitchen island. I dismiss the TV and the current show playing—which is _The Jesus Code_ —and walk over to him. **“What the fuck are you d—”** his words trail as I squish him between the kitchen island and myself. My right hand rests between his jaw and neck as the other holds the edge of the kitchen island. Our chests collide and I can feel the rush of his heartbeats under his shirt. **“Hyung, I swear to God if you kiss me again!** ” I was supposed to, but, instead, I press our foreheads together. His eyes stare up to meet mine. **“I’ve never met anyone so lovable like you. Now, let me ask you,”** I allow him to have free space once again, then I take his hands, **“I know it’s going to sound a little fast, but when do you want to get married?”**

Jun’s breathing hitches at my question. He composes himself for a moment and a smile curves his lips upward. **“It is a little fast, but, if we’ll still be together by that time, I want to get married after college.”** He wraps his arms around my neck and pulls me close. **“I won’t forget that,”** I say. And I will promise him that. Never once will I forget it.

~ **Mark** ~

After the whole kitchen ordeal happened, Jun and I found ourselves in bed, legs tangled above the other, eyes gazing not at the other but towards the TV. Jun has his left arm on top of my stomach while my arm is around his shoulders. His head is laying on my shoulder while my free hand is holding the remote. **“I want to watch a Disney movie,”** Jun’s voice breaks the deafening silence we were having. I reply with an _“alright”_ and switch from the regular TV to _Netflix_. As we go through the _Search_ bar, Jun suggests _Tangled_. During the lantern sequence, I see Jun’s eyes tear up at the song. **“You okay?”** I ask. He nods and lifts up a hand to wipe his tears with a small sniff afterwards. **“I just think it’s beautiful, you know?”**

 **“Like you?”** In response, he lightly hits my stomach with the hand that’s on top of it. **“Okay, now, stop. Something bad is going to happen—I can feel it in my gut.”**

**“Or are you just hungry?”**

**“Do you want to get hit again?”**

**“No, thanks. I prefer your lips instead of your hands.”**

**“You’re seriously asking for it.”** Jun raises his hand towards my cheek as a threat, but he proceeds to pinch the skin tightly. And, let me say that prying his fingers off took a bit of time. After watching _Tangled_ (with Jun crying after it ended), we watch more movies and with a little touch of _Black Summer_. Our movie session ends, making it just in time for dinner. As always, Jun cooks while I help him. **“What’s for dinner tonight, baobei?”** From my post at the kitchen island, I stare at Jun’s back as I slice the radish and julienne the carrots. **“ _Bibimbap_ , the usual.”** Eating food like what Jun is making right now makes me appreciate life’s simplicity when you enjoy it with the person you love. As of now, I have finished with the vegetables. Jun jumps at the sudden click of the rice cooker. He tells me to get bowls and I quickly rummage through the cupboards to find the said item. Once I set them down onto the kitchen island, Jun finally faces my way with two smaller bowls in his hands that are filled with rice.

I sit by the bar stools and watch him do his magic. With precision, he puts exact amounts of vegetables and meat after placing the rice down from their containers. He finishes it off with sesame seeds to top the rice. To quicken the job, I leave my seat and grab the spoons and set them down next to the ready-to-eat _Bibimbap_ while Jun grabs the side dishes. It seems that we’re going to eat by the island tonight. Jun and I sit next to each other on the bar stools. **“Oh, we don’t have water—”** Before Jun can stand up, I swiftly stop him with my hand pushing him down back to his seat. I grab two glasses and fill it with water from the dispenser. I settle it both down in front of the food just before I sit back next to Jun.

**“You didn’t need to do that, _Hyung_.”**

I flash him a gentle smile while I mix the food together with the red pepper paste. **“You’ve already worked hard with the food. I didn’t want to make you do it all.”**

 **“That’s very sweet of you, _Hyung_. I appreciate it.”** He reciprocates the deed with a smile of his own and a pat to my shoulder. After our show of gratitude, Jun and I feast to our heart’s content. As always, the food he cooks tastes amazing. **“Amazing food as always, Jun.”** He laughs a bit and takes a sip of water, **“We eat this almost every day, _Hyung_. It will always taste the same.”**

 **“It never tastes the same. With each serve, it just becomes even more delicious as it follows with every bite.”** Jun responds to my compliment with a _“wow”_ and a kiss towards my lips. After dinner, I help Jun with the dishes. When he finishes washing each plate, utensil, and dinnerware, I dry off every last one. To lighten up the mood, I sway my hip to the side and bump with Jun’s. It takes two more tries for Jun to retaliate by flicking water at me. **“ _Baobei_!”** He chuckles at my exclamation. We exchange a few jokes and jests. Before we knew it, we finish and begin to get ready for bed.

After brushing my teeth, I head for the softest place that I know all too well in this world. First of all, it’s not just Jun’s arms—it’s also the bed. But, anyways, as I watch Jun cuddle up to my body in his most pleasant slumber, all I can think of is my surprise for him during the upcoming weekend. As I close my eyes, I count down the mornings and nights. And, as if in a flash, the day has come.

~ **Renjun** ~

The night of Prom has come. It took five, agonizing days of being the recipient of insults, bullying, and bigotry for me to finally bask in the peace of our home. But, even peaceful days have sad moments. Even if I am coerced by Mark- _hyung_ to wear the suit we bought last week (that I promised to have dry-cleaned this Wednesday), it pains me to watch him get ready for tonight’s school event that I, unfortunately, will not be attending. Mark- _hyung_ finishes touching-up his hair and looks at me sitting on our bed, suit and all. **“It’s sad that you will not be attending, _baobei_. And I feel bad for letting you wear that suit for nothing.”** He pouts to me. I stand up, place my hands on his cheeks, and squish it. **“I’m fine. I’ll always be waiting for you at home, _Hyung_.”**

He places a hand on my head then ruffles my hair messily. **“I know.“** _Hyung’s_ eyes gaze at the clock, burning with worry and concern. **“Oh, it’s getting late. Jeno’s going to pick me up after Donghyuck.”** I see him out to the elevator outside of our unit and into the hallway. He waves good-bye to me, **“I love you, _baobei_. See you later!”** My sadness grows upon his leave. Eyeing the door will not make him magically come back to your side, Huang Renjun. The loneliness my body feels sitting at the sofa without Mark- _hyung’s_ arms around me nor his presence next to me fills me with melancholy. I lean over to grab the remote on the coffee table in between the TV and sofa. With a single push of the button, the TV opens to the _History_ channel—AGAIN?! Maybe the _History_ channel likes to remind me that this is what my life would be like without Mark- _hyung_ : lonely, with only the TV and the sofa to comfort me. Then I remember that I live in a wonderful reality that the words, _“Mark Lee is mine”_ , is something I am proud to say. I bother not taking the suit off so I sit there, slowly wrinkling the fabric with my every movement.

While I watch investigators talk about Oak Island, my phone, which is also on the coffee table, vibrates and rings. I grab it and accept the call without checking the caller ID.

 _“Hello, my friend!”_ On the other side of the line, I hear Jaemin’s cheery voice ring through. I greet him and ask what the fuck made him call me in the middle of Prom. Behind the sound of his voice are many different voices and upbeat music pumping loudly through the speakers inside the auditorium. _“Mark-hyung told me to call you and ask if you’re doing fine!”_

I feel my heart skip a beat at Jaemin’s reason for calling me. **“Tell him I’m doing fine and that he doesn’t need to worry much.”** The call extends for much longer than two minutes. I grow suspicious as the loud sounds from earlier in Jaemin’s surroundings soon dip into muffled ones until it reaches complete silence. Other than Jaemin’s voice through my phone, I hear a car’s engine revving in the background. **“Jaemin, are you inside a car? Are you driving?!”** I didn’t mean to shout at him but my surprise urged me. Why would Jaemin drive away from school when he’s been waiting for Prom Night since it’s announcement? _“I’m coming over to your and Mark-hyung’s flat. Come down to the lobby when I call again!”_ After Jaemin ends the call, I ruffle my hair in frustration before I drop the phone next to me. Now, what am I going to do? I did not think this would happen. Was me telling Mark- _hyung_ that I didn’t want to go to Prom not clear enough?

I give myself a moment of silence before I stand and grab my phone. Taking one last clear look at the living room, I grab the nearest pair of shoes from my side of the entrance-side shoe rack before leaving the apartment with only socks on. The lobby is empty once I stepped inside—well, except for the presence of the receptionist ladies. For all I know, I bet the receptionists are staring at the ridiculousness that is my shoeless feet and the pair of shoes I’m holding. I sit on one of the chairs near the entrance of the condominium and put my shoes on. For fuck’s sake . . . It’s the same baby blue shoes I wore when I got this suit with Mark- _hyung_! I pay no mind to my careless choice and begin tying the laces. Just as I finish tying the long shoelaces on each shoe into a little bow, my phone begins vibrating inside my slacks’ pocket. I fish it from its spot and accept the call.

 **“Renjun? I’m here!”** Jaemin’s familiar voice echoes in the empty corridor. Then I notice that he is standing in front of me. His black tie is thrown above his right shoulder (maybe because he rushed here), while his perfectly styled hair has its strands poking out in all directions. He must have been frantic.

 **“You’re a little too quick!”** I exclaim at him with a smile. I stand and walk with him to his car. Jaemin opens the door to the passenger seat for me and he runs to his place on the driver’s seat afterwards. Though there are clear indications of speed limits that need to be followed, Jaemin accelerates the car even more; it compels me to finally secure the seatbelt around my body. **“Jaemin, I swear to God that if we crash—”**

Without a care for what I am about to say, Jaemin cuts me off and says: **“Renjun, going past the speed limit will be worth it once I take you there.”**

 _There_? The fuck does he mean by that?

Turning my head to the side, I stare at the wonders of the city. To wherever it is that Jaemin’s driving to, it must be somewhere in the middle of downtown. We stop at a red light. I then turn to Jaemin who is laying his head on the steering wheel. **“Jaemin, why did you leave Prom?”** I ask. He raises his head, **“Hm?”**

 **“I mean, well, you’ve been waiting for Prom and you even asked Yangyang out to this fancy restaurant just for your Prom-posal. Isn’t it better to have stayed there? In school?”** Jaemin gives me his bright toothy grin and brushes away what I just said. **“I got special permission from Yangyang, dude. Don’t worry.”** Finally, at the flash of the green traffic light, Jaemin sits up straight and drives again. **“So, uh, what have the others been doing before you came to get me?”** Jaemin, as he drives, tells me of the guys’ antics during Prom: Jaehyun- _hyung_ has been pestering everyone to dance with while he is drinking himself to utter intoxication with the fruit punch; our principal, Mr. Seo, had accidentally set one of the tablecloth’s on fire with the candle centerpiece while Jeno and Donghyuck tried bringing the former onstage to sing; and, lo and behold, Mark- _hyung_ has been on his phone the entire time. The last one comes up as nothing unusual to _Hyung’s_ behavior.

The car makes a sharp turn to the left, causing my body to sway harshly to the right due to the inertia. It runs a few more meters until it fully stops. I look to see Jaemin exiting the car and going over to my side. He opens the door for me and I graciously thank him for doing so. My hand feels for my phone inside my right pocket, making sure it’s still there. **“Here we are,”** Jaemin smiles, rather softly than his usual ones. I realize that this is one of the restaurants my family owns in South Korea as part of their many business endeavors between this country and in China. Gaping at the gigantic building before us both, Jaemin then urges me to join him inside.

As I enter the restaurant and greet the ushers and every server, I continue to follow Jaemin towards one of the private showrooms in the restaurant. The place is dark and I can hear slight muffled sounds. Suddenly, I feel someone’s hands over my eyes just as I hear the light switch’s click. My palms hold on to the hands over my eyes, and I grin. **“Okay, Jaemin. Play time’s over. Now remove your damn hands away.”**

_“Jaemin? Baobei, that hurt.”_

Once I hear that familiar endearment and his voice, he takes his hands away and spins me around to face him. A tear falls when I saw him smiling at me, his eyes full of warmth and gentleness as it stares at my way. **“I thought you went to Prom . . . “** I look at the showroom and see everyone else: Jeno, Donghyuck, Jaemin, Yangyang, Lucas- _ge_ , Hendery- _ge_ , Dejun- _ge_ , Jisung, and even Chenle! Aside from them, I saw Jaehyun- _hyung_ and Mr. Moon as well. There are many food on the table that is smack-dab in the middle of the place and I see blue and silver decorations hanging on the ceiling. With teary eyes, I turn back to Mark- _hyung_. A sob threatens to escape my throat at the thought of how much time was needed to prepare all this. **“Did you do this all? For me?”**

He takes my left hand on his right. **“Jun, everything in here, and everyone involved in this, has helped prepare for your arrival here. Actually, I didn’t attend Prom and so did these guys from school over here—except, of course, Jaemin, Yangyang, and Jaehyun-hyung. I did this because I wanted to show you how much I love and cherish you as my boyfriend. Do you know how I always told you to remember that I love you?”**

 **“Yes. You always make sure I know that.”** The sob escapes and I have become a crying mess in front of Mark- _hyung_ —and in front of all the people in here.

 **“I want to make you feel the kind of love that you deserve. I want to be your favorite kind of love to exist in your reality. Do you want to know why I picked this place?”** He asks. I nod and let him continue. Mark- _hyung_ takes a step closer to me. **“This was where we ate together to celebrate our first day as dorm mates. From that day on, and on the moment we had our first date here, I’ve come to recognize this place as something filled with memories—”**

 _“Just tell him already!”_ Jaehyun- _hyung’s_ voice reverberates, cutting off Mark- _hyung’s_ speech. Everyone laughs and so do we. Mark- _hyung_ clears his throat and begins concluding his words

 **“To live in a reality having you as the person most precious to me is something I want to last forever. The reason why I asked when you wanted to get married was because of this . . .”** with _Hyung_ still holding my left hand, he kneels down on one knee, and takes out a golden ring adorned by three sapphires from his coat’s breast pocket. _**“Baobei,”**_ I anticipate the upcoming words he is about to say.

**“Will you marry me?”**

He pops the question and I am left for shock, standing there as if I am stuck in a freeze frame. I cry instead of answering him immediately. This marks the first time I cry harder than I usually do. With the way I am crying, my body shakes terribly. I sink to the floor, trying to suppress the intensity of the restlessness of my fingers and knees. Mark- _hyung_ embraces me, hushing me down. **“Was it too overwhelming, _baobei_?”** I hear a hint of sadness in his voice, mixing in with concern. The others crowd around us like flies, making sure I am okay. I finally calm down and the shaking stops.

**“I know it’s overwhelming to ask you something like this when we are so young, but I can’t imagine growing older with someone who isn’t you, Jun. And I’ll ask you again: Will you marry me?”**

Another sob escapes, and I nod at him, smiling like there’s no tomorrow. **“Yes! I will marry you, Lee Minhyung.”** I watch his tears fall at my answer. He stands and helps me up with his hand. **“That’s the first time you called me Minhyung,”** he says, tears still falling. **“I’ve been waiting to call you that, and I’ve saved it for the perfect occasion.”**

He slips the ring onto my finger and pulls me in for a kiss. Everyone’s hoots and cheers drown into silence in my ears. I hear nothing but the loud beating of my heart. Mark’s right arm circles my waist and holds my left hand with the utmost care he can give. When the kiss breaks, he presses his forehead against mine, the tips of our noses touch. I look at him and he looks at me, love filling his gaze that almost seems to make my heart burst in my chest.

He is right. Lee Minhyung has and will always be my most favorite kind of love in this world. If am to be asked what he is in my life, calling him my fiancée is just the tip of the iceberg. To call him mine is enough to describe him in my life. And as we stand there in the middle of the room, I wish that we can stay like this forever—holding each other close and feeling our warmth so closely upon our skins.

 **“I love you so, so much, Huang Renjun. You are the best kind of love I can ever have.”** He lifts his forehead from mine to kiss the tip of my nose. I always get tickles from whenever he kisses me on that spot. **“And I love you, Lee Minhyung—my favorite kind of love.”** I blink back tears as I smile my brightest at him, eyes closed. I circle my arms around his neck, and pull him in for one last kiss before we celebrate our engagement of love.

| **END** |


End file.
